Expert Says Govternmen should Give Priority to Agriculture

A representative of Rosedale Farms Limited, Mr Irvin Reid, has said Nigeria has what it takes to provide food for its teeming population and jobs for the bulk of its unemployed youth but agriculture has to be given the attention it needs on a larger scale.
Speaking at the joint venture agreement signing with Promasidor Nigeria Limited in Lagos, Reid said Nigeria has a big opportunity for agriculture in Africa.

He said, “The climate is promising, soil is fertile and there are very good farmers here that need more technical knowhow and infrastructure to achieve desirable results on a commercial scale.”
Rosedale Farm is one of the 13 farmers in Shonga Farms, Kwara State with over 9 years experience.
He said the farm embarked upon a remarkable partnership with Promasidor to take its work to another significant level.
The partnership will help the farm’s to scale up its production and begins to achieve better results with higher commercial value, he said.
Reid said since arrived in Nigeria in 2004 as part of the Green Revolution project in Kwara State the farm has looked forward to long term and strategic partnership from private companies.
According to Reid, “We enter into joint venture with very experienced partners to incorporate Dairy Farmers Nigeria Limited to focus on fresh-milk based products. As shareholders we will provide the technical and management services to ensure this venture achieve all its set goals.
“Our commitment is to see that the investments in developing dairy farming in Nigeria will evolve into a truly successful commercial sector and provide employment, export and food for many families in Nigeria. The venture will not only provide food for the teeming population but also provide employment opportunities the unemployed youth in the country,” Reid said.
On his own part, the managing director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Chief Keith Richards, said the partnership will foster more local integration and develop import substitution in the company’s production process.
Keith stressed that Promasidor is desirous of collaborating with Rosedale and the Reids in the business of production of value added fresh-milk based products, such as cheese, butter, yogurt and allied products.
“Although we have always engaged in local sourcing for our various products brands for some components in our production such as vitamin supplements and pre-mixes, corn flour, vegetable fat, vegetable oil, salt cocoa powder; the ability for local producers to meet the volume and quality demanded at a commercial scale remains a challenge,” he said.-Leadership

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